WEB-ресурс научно-практических конференций

Murasova A.E.

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Business correspondence. E-mails

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a term often used to describe language that is inaccessible to people who are not members of a particular language community. There is also language which is clearly business English but which can be understood by most proficient users of English. This is sometimes described as general business English and is the sort of English used in general business English course-books or in business magazines.

In recent years English has become a universal business language. As such, it is potentially an instrument of order and clarity. A neatly arranged letter will certainly make a better impression on the reader, a nd correctly arranged meeting will help to make good business partners. But words and phrases have unexpected ways of creating business bindings.

Letter-writing, certainly, is not the same as casual conversation, it bears only the same power of thoughts, reflections, and observations as in conversational talk, but the form may be quite different. What makes the correspondence so attractive and pleasing is not always the message of the letter (e-mail etc.) , it is often the manner and style in which the message is written.

In the case of "scientific correspondence" the majority of letters bear mostly a semi-official character and are concerned with different situations associated with scientific activities concentrated around the organisation of scientific meetings (congresses, symposia, workshops, etc.), the arrangement of visit, invitation, publication, the exchange of scientific literature, information, etc. Letters of this kind have a tone of friendliness, naturalism. Modern English letters should not be exaggerated, overburdened, outmoded with time-worn expressions. The key note is simplicity. Modern letters tend towards using the language of conversational style.

Writing is not only way of communication and contact, but also a record of affairs, information, events, etc. So it is necessary to feel the spirit and trend of the style in order to write a perfect letter.

One survey of 100 companies engaged in international business revealed that between 95 and 99 percent of their business letters to other countries are written in English. Moreover, 59 percent of the respondents reported that the foreign letters they receive are usually written in English, although they also receive letters written in Spanish and French. Other languages are rare in international business correspondence.

Many international business letters are written in English. Thus North American firms do not always have to worry about translating their correspondence. However, even when both parties write in English, minor interpretation problems do exist because of different usage of technical terms. These problems do not usually pose a major barrier to communication, especially if correspondence between the two parties continues and each gradually learns the terminology of the other.

E-mail Messages

Because of its speed and informality, e-mail is ideal for routine communication between coworkers. E-mail messages are also useful for day-to-day or extremely timely exchanges with people outside the company. Because of their low cost, they often are preferred for communicating with overseas contacts.

Tips for E-mails

1. Select your audience
Think about who should receive your message. Use the "cc" - carbon copy - function for those who should be informed about your message but don't need to take action. Don't send every message to every individual working on a project if it isn't pertinent to them.

2. Control your replies
If you receive an e-mail asking you for information that also was sent to others, don't automatically use the "reply all" feature. Chances are, only the author needs the information.

3. Don't spam
If you regularly send e-mails to a distribution list, give recipients the option to opt out - and respect their requests.

4. Define the subject
Treat the subject line as editors treat a headline. It should be provocative and informative.

5. Sign it
Make use of the auto-signature function most e-mail systems offer. Include your name, company name, brief company description (no more than five words) and contact information.

6. Consider in-box limitations
Don't send e-mail attachments 1KB or larger.

It is not enough for a good business letter writing to know lexics and grammar, but you should comprehend the whole range of such things as: occasions on which the particular letter is written, the style of letter, useful expressions, and accepted idioms, taking into consideration the mentality and traditions of the country. There are certain rules which not everybody could learn since they have to be felt by correspondents. Letter writing requires long practice and experience.

References:

1. Ashley A. A handbook of commercial correspondence. - Oxford University Press, 1992 . – 192 p.

2. Naterop B.J., Weis E., Naberfellner E. Business letters for all. - Oxford University Press, 1994 . – 140 p.

3. Brieger N. Advanced English Contacts. - Oxford University Press, 1993 . – 217 p.

4. Fowles A., Miller M., Stocker J. Executive decisions. - Nelson English Language Teaching, 1995 . – 140 p.

5. Jones L., Alexander R. New International English Teacher’s Book . - Cambridge University Press, 1996 . – 220 p.

6. Doherty M., Knapp L., Swift S. Write for business. - Longman, 1995 . – 155 p.

7. Horner D. , Strutt P. Words at work. Vocabulary development for business English. - Cambridge University Press, 1996 . – 235 p.

8. O’Connor P., Pilbeam A. Negotiating. - Longman Group UK, 1992 . – 260 p.